HADAS BROWN TELLS US---WHAT THIS MEANS -- FOR THE CITY. AN OLD VICKSBURG LANDMARK -- IS MAKING A COMEBACK. MAYOR GEORGE FLAGGS JR/VICKSBURG: "WE'RE JUST EXCITED" TWO YEARS AGO, THE GRAND STATION HOTEL AND CASINO SHUT DOWN AFTER THE HOTEL DECLARED BANKRUPTCY.. TWO HUNDRED THIRTY PEOPLE LOST THEIR JOBS -- AND THE CITY LOST THEIR CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL. NOW A NEW DEVELOPER SAYS THEY ARE READY TO REOPEN THE HOTEL ON MULBERRY STREET -- AND THE NEARBY PARKING GARAGE... NATS MGR SHOWING OFF HOTEL ANTHONY COLLINS WAS THE HOTEL MANAGER OF THE GRAND STATION BACK WHEN IT CLOSED. ANTHONY COLLINS/HOTEL GENERAL MANAGER: "IT WAS DISAPPOINTING FOR ME AND THE GUESTS AND EMPLOYEES AND THE CITY OF VICKSBURG" NOW -- HE'S TAKING OVER AS MANAGER OF THE NEW HOTEL WITH A NEW NAME -- THE PORTOFINO. ANTHONY COLLINS/HOTEL GENERAL MANAGER: "WE HAVE A GROUP OF INVESTORS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN MAKING THIS WORK. I FEEL THE GROUP THAT WE HAD WASN'T FOCUSING ON THE FINANCIAL SIDE OF THE BUSINESS, IT WAS MORE SELF MOTIVATED" HADAS BROWN/16 WAPT NEWS: "THE MAYOR TELLS US THE NEW DEVELOPING COMPANY ISNT JUST GOING TO RESTORE THE HOTEL, THEYRE ALSO GOING TO BUILD UP DOWNTOWN VICKSBURG. ONE THING THEY PLAN TO DO -- EXPAND THIS MURAL, ALONG THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER." MAYOR GEORGE FLAGGS JR/VICKSBURG: "THERE ARE OTHER PROPERTIES THAT ARE OPENING BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A HOTEL IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA SO WE BELIEVE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO PROFIT AND BE ABLE TO REVITALIZE DOWNTOWN BECAUSE OF THIS HOTEL" MANAGERS TELL US THE NEW HOTEL WILL HAVE AT LEAST 3 DOZEN JOB OPENINGS RIGHT AWAY THEY PLAN TO OPEN THE HOTEL'S DOORS ON MAY 8TH. IN VICKSBURG HADAS BROWN 16WAPTNEWS.